Through The Heart
by rojy
Summary: Orihime was severely injured by mistake during between Ulquiorra and Ichigo. If I have Ideas I might update, If not then it's complete.
1. Chapter 1

Orihime was Dying.

During the fight between Ulquiorra and Ichigo, Loly had taken the opportunity to attack her. Unfortunately for her the fighting parties had noticed and Ichigo horrid to attack loly with his Getsuga Tenshō but he was rash. He did something he would regret for the rest of his life. Loly got closer to his friend much than he anticipated. So, He had injured Orihime in the process...

Ichigo was shocked at what had happened and started calling for her. The reason why he came here..Why he fought. He killed her with his own hands. Ichigo started walking towards Orihime but the espada had sonided and stood next to Orihime. He glared daggers at the Shinigami and prevented him from reaching her.

He then turned to look at her lying form on the ground. She's not his responsibility anymore, Aizen-sama had declared her useless. But.. He can't allow her to die.

He was confused. Strange things were stirring within him. He knew basic feelings that any other hollow would hunger, pain..etc. So He knew these were feelings but this was different, he did not know from where they came and he didn't care, not at the moment, saving her is his priority now.

She was tired.. very tired, she had lost a lot of blood. She could barely keep her eyes open. She took sometime to register what happened and why did was she so pained and hurt. Her vision was blurry as she saw someone towering over her. She was able to recognize Ulquiorra a few moments later. She thought she saw In his eyes confusion and other emotions she couldn't identify yet as she then noticed Kurosaki-kun a few meters behind him.

She turned her head -which proved to be much for her- to the Shinigami He looked so much in pain. She had to say something to him

"Kurasaki- kun.. I forgive you" She said in a very weak voice then continued "please... forgive yourself"

"NO! IN-"

"Women" A voice interrupted "Enough talking, Heal yourself" He was still staring at her and she could still see the emotions in his eyes. 'So my mind was not making this up' She managed a small smile as she thought that he was finally showing emotions even if it was subtle.

"Ulquiorra.. I can't"

She really couldn't her reiatsu was almost non-existent. 'May be if she had a reason she could..'

"NO! Please.." Ichigo shouted. He was too desperate to think why the espada wanted her alive.

"Women, If you don't heal yourself, I will kill your friends." He threatened pointing his sword towards her friend.

Her eyes widened at him. Why was he so persistent. Her friends were the trump card, threaten them and she will surrender. This is what had gotten her here in the first place. Both of them knew that but why? She had outlived her purpose for his master. Then she saw his eyes, There was pleading in them. 'So he cares' She smiled, though weak, it reached her eyes.

"I am sorry really sorry, Ulquiorra, everyone, but I can't"

Ichigo was stunned at what Ulquiorra said but he began to cry and to punch the floor knowing there was no hope.

'Why is she smiling?' She continued to confuse him even in her last moments.

"Ulquiorra, I wish I had the opportunity to show you the heart" She continued to smile at him as she tried left her arm to reach for him and he met her halfway and sat next to her holding her hand and her gaze.

'Foolish women, still talking about the heart and smiling at a time like this. He thought then looked at her hand 'In my hand is that her heart?'. Then an idea struck him. He remembered Aizen telling him The substitute shinigami gained his powers when the petite shinigami stabbed him in the heart with her concentrated reiatsu. Can he also do that? Can he save her? He was never faced with so much uncertainties in his life.

He then broke their contact, reached for his sword and concentrated some of his energy in it and then stabbed her in her heart

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?' Ichigo shouted as he was lashing out at the fourth espada.

"Correcting your mistake" He did not even glance at the shinigami as he was too focused on his current task. Too much could lead to the opposite consequences.

He was going to counter back but then he noticed Inoue.

Orihime did not have the time to be shocked when she saw Ulquiorra was going to stab her as she soon felt energy through her veins. It was dark and cold like a his reiatsu. She felt stronger and better than before despite her injury as she took a deep loud breath.

Ulquiorra could feel his energy pulsing through her and noticed that she looked slightly better. She wasn't as pale.

"Women, now you can heal yourself" He said in his usual monotone voice.

She looked at Ulquiorra questioning what happened but she didn't. The relief in his eyes satisfied her for now. Instead she beamed at him and said "Sōten Kisshun, I reject"

He knew that there were later consequences of what he did and that his reiatsu will affect her powers but she's alive. He found himself relieved and.. happy? 'So the void was not happiness after all' He mused and looked at the palm of his and then her hand 'The heart..'


	2. Chapter 2

p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"She was well and awake but now what?/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"The Shinigami would take her.. 'No'/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"The espada stood in between the two friends facing Ichigo and preventing him from reaching Orihime./p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;""Move it!" Ichigo demanded/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;""No" Ulquiorra replied in his usual calm monotone voice, But was there some kind of resolve in his usually dead eyes..?/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;""What the.."/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"Ulquiorra glared daggers at him while he said "You have endangered her life once and She almost died. What guarantees that you won't hurt her again?"/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"Ichigo clenched his hands. He couldn't counterback. He came all the way here and fought for her, just in the end for her to almost die by his hands. He has a point and it hurts./p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;""But Kurosaki-kun didn't mean to hurt he would never.."/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"Orihime Tried to defend her friend but Ulquiorra interrupted her "Exactly, "he did not mean it" that itself is the problem. He could put you in danger again anytime"/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"Ichigo was angry. He was angry at himself for giving the espada a reason to believe he was danger to his dear friend. He was still angry and upset at the idea that she would have been dead because of him if it wasn't for the enemy./p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"Then they noticed another battle in which Ichigo was needed. He didn't want to leave without her./p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;""Go, Kurosaki-kun" She told him with a smile./p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;""But I can't leave without you"/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;""I will be fine. Ulquiorra is here with me. I am sure he will protect" She said it with all her heart. It was enough for her that they came, she would not be sad if they left her after ensuring her her safety./p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"She then moved from her place to face Ulquiorra "Won't you, Ulquiorra?"/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"She was asking him playfully with a big smile, 'Foolish women, why does she look amused?'. He then turned his gaze away from her and replied "Yes"/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"Ichigo knew he should go help the rest of their friends as the battle got fiercer. He looked at her for a few minutes then relented 'it's strange but he seems to care for her'. Before he turned to leave, he promised "I will come back to you, I won't leave you, Inoue"/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"As he started walking he was surprised by what he was going to hear "First, you must defeat Aizen-sama"/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;""What?" Ichigo turned back to face the espada. he was baffled, did he hear right?/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;""Defeat Aizen sama before retrieving the women. When he wins she would be in danger. Hueco Mundo is the safest place at the moment for her. There will be battles and fights anywhere else." He paused, he didn't want her to leave but this isn't her place "Although, I believe it's difficult for you to defeat him but you must if you want the women back"/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"Then Ichigo smirked and looked at her then him with determination "I will"/p  
p style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #fffffa;"'tsk, foolish human, You better do'/p 


	3. Discussion

It was just the both of them now after Kurosaki left. It was a good opportunity to talk to him now.

"Ulquiorra"

He somehow knew this was going to happen.

"Thank you, But why Ulquiorra?" She was smiling at him

Ah, yes this is what he was loathing, this confrontation. He didn't know the answer himself. He knew the heart and feelings were involved. God, he loathed such weakness.

"Did you want to die woman?"

"What?! No!"

"Then don't ask"

"Why are you avoiding my question?" She asked despite knowing the answer. She knew it was going to be hard to get it out of him.

"Don't test my patience, woman" His voice was a bit louder then usual it was as close as you can get to snapping from Ulquiorra

Him snapping like that proved her right. She just wanted him to admit to himself what she had seen, to help him with his confusion. She wasn't going to let him revert back to what he was like before.

"You know, I saw it in your eyes" She took a step closer and had a soft look in her face with hints of satisfaction.

His eyes widen 'Was I that obvious?'. After all this time, what he believed in and his entire being turned out to be wrong. Of course he would seem defeated. Everything had crumbled by a mere human that couldn't even compare to him

He turned away from her and asked "Then why are you asking?"

"Because feelings are not as bad as you think" He still couldn't look her in the eyes.

"Your Feelings dragged you to your own death.." He paused "Your death.. proved them to be far worse" She was astonished by his reply. She felt guilty for feeling happy at that.

"And your feelings saved me"

He then glanced at her still seemed defeated "Why are you so persistent?"

"Because I don't want you back as before. It's sad and painful" She looked sad.. for him?

"How do you know how I feel?" He looked at her skeptically. He knew How miserable he was the moment he grasped what the heart was but what did she know?

"I Know emptiness.. I-I have felt before when my brother died" She paused and clutched her hands together "I still feel it at times but my friends fill a great part of it."

"Do you mean to say I need someone? How absurd!"

"No one can live alone forever!" She countered back

"I did" He looked her in the eye and saw.. sympathy?

"But you weren't happy, you don't have to be alone anymore, I will be there for you"

"Women, I am a hollow do you know what are you saying?" He was looking at her in the eyes now.

"Yes." She looked him in the eyes smiling with determination.

He broke the silence that engulfed them for a few minutes "The heart ... it brings pain" He knew if the heart ever existed it would lead to nothing but pain. Perhaps it was because of his human life that he didn't remember and her death.. it was terrible.

"I can't deny that but it also bring a lot of good feelings too" then she moved her hands to indicate that there were a lot of things. Then She put her hands behind her back and leaned a bit closer to him facing him "Like what you feel when you save some you care for"

"Stop it, woman" He looked away from her

"Stop what?" She was almost teasing him.

"Being so precise"

End


End file.
